Title: Shaedes of Gray
Author: Amanda Bonilla
First published December 6, 2011
316 pages, Mass Market Paperback
ISBN: 9780451235299 (ISBN10: 0451235290)
Rating: 3.59
Overview
Love can be a dangerous game, and Darian knows this all too well. Abandoned by her former love, she has survived alone for almost a century as the last of her kind – an immortal Shaede who can blend into the darkness with ease.
But when Tyler, her employer, starts to break down her walls with his charming smile, Darian finds herself struggling to keep her distance. To make matters worse, her next target is none other than Xander Peck, the King of the Shaede Nation.
As Darian begins to question her worldview, she realizes that she may have taken on more than she can handle. With a good assassin never leaving a job unfinished, Darian is left with a difficult decision to make.
Will she risk everything, including her heart, to complete her mission?
About the Author
Meet Amanda Bonilla, a resident of rural Idaho where she resides with her loving husband and two precious little ones. She spends some of her time managing her pets while basking in the sun’s warmth for the rest of the day.
Amanda’s not a fan of the cold, but she braves it when necessary. In her free time, she either reads books or chats excitedly about her favorite literature.
Writing is her passion, and she enjoys indulging in it.
Editoral Review
In “Shaedes of Gray,” Amanda Bonilla creates a vividly imaginative world of paranormal creatures and thrilling action. Published on December 6, 2011, Bonilla’s debut novel is a compelling read that draws readers into her imaginative and richly detailed world.
Bonilla’s writing is gripping and the pacing never slows down, rendering it impossible to put this book down. The paranormal theme is very popular with young adult readers, and those who are interested in the genre are sure to find “Shaedes of Gray” up to their street.
Bonilla finds a way to build a world with robust rules and ideas that readers are sure to find fascinating. Bonilla’s heroine, Darian, is a complicated character with an intricate past that makes her both a hero and a problem.
She is flawed with struggles that readers find relatable, making her character memorable and her journey in the book compelling. The supporting characters are also dynamic, with backgrounds that add depth to the story.
In addition to the well-developed characters, the book’s plot contains twists and reveals that keep the reader’s interest piqued. The different conflicts in the book are resolved with significant emotional weight that upholds the importance of the narrative.
One of the flaws of the book is that some of the supporting characters’ backgrounds are spoken of but not clarified, leaving the reader with questions about their histories. Furthermore, the book has too many characters, with the appearance of many new ones in every chapter, which can lead to confusion.
Overall, “Shaedes of Gray” is a well-executed paranormal novel with rich imagination and suspenseful storytelling. Bonilla’s writing is sublime and her world-building skills are distinct.
Anyone who appreciates the paranormal genre would enjoy this book, especially for its combative scenes and world-building skills. For all these reasons, we rate “Shaedes of Gray” a 4/5.
